Thousands of people are expected to show up for a tree planting ceremony organized by the UN Environment Programme in Karura Forest on 14 February.

At the heart of the campaign, entitled 'Trees4Love', is the idea that people will plant trees not just for their loved ones, but also as a symbol of their love for the environment.

The objective is to plant up to 5,000 trees in Karura forest as part of targeted efforts to combat climate change, promote the principle of carbon sequestration and clean up Nairobi River through catchment protection.

The total number of trees planted will be registered under the umbrella of the Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign programme www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign

Launched in 2006, the Billion Tree Campaign has catalyzed the planting of 2.6 billion trees around the world. In a call for further individual and collective action, UNEP has set a new goal of planting 7 billion trees - one per inhabitant of the planet - by the end of 2009.

The 'Trees4Love' event will be attended by women environment ministers and leaders attending the UNEP Governing Council, which takes place from 16 to 20 February in Nairobi. They will be joined by UNEP staff members and their families, representatives from corporate groups operating in Kenya, the Kenya Forest Service, the Greenbelt movement, the Kenya Red Cross Society and the general public.

The event takes place as a growing wave of individuals and groups around the world continue to heed the call of the campaign.

Barcelona-based organization Tree-Nation is creating a park in the shape of a giant heart with eight million trees in the desert in Niger. The company invites individuals to sponsor trees online then watch them grow via satellite imagery.

Ethiopia remains the country that has planted the biggest number of trees - to date, 700 million trees have been planted in the country as part of the BTC, and this is just the beginning. Ethiopia's Patriarch Abba Paulos has assured UNEP of his Church's proactive role in mobilizing its close to 45 million followers to be part of the Billion Tree Campaign, and the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council is also backing the campaign.

Practical details: The tree planting will take place on 14 February in Karura Forest from 1pm to 5:30pm. All are welcome.